lessons learned across three schools dr. stan paine, principal springfield school district...
TRANSCRIPT
Lessons learned across three schools
Dr. Stan Paine, PrincipalSpringfield School District
Leadership for Success in Beginning Reading
2
“The rules have changed.
It’s not the same.
(We’re now the) players
In a whole new ball game.”
Donald Fagen
From “The Goodbye Look”
The Nightfly
Warner Bros., 1982
3
“…What are the games?…”
Old Game:
Inputs were standard
Outcomes were allowed to vary
New Game:
Inputs vary (differentiated instruction)
Outcomes are (the) standard(s)
4
“…What is the basis for the new ball game?…”
The standards & accountability movement
Highly publicized test scores & school report cards
NCLB & the sanctions for failure to meet AYP
These things might motivate us,
but they don’t necessarily bring out the best in us…..
5
Let us be motivated instead by:
Seeing our work as having a powerful, positive purpose
Knowing that we are engaging in work of supreme importance
Playing “the new game” to give our students the best possible chance at success in school and in life.
6
3 Short Stories…..
…large school, high poverty
(effects on 3rd grade reading)
…moderate size school, high poverty
(effects on special education referral rate)
…large school, moderate poverty
(effects on kg & 1st grade DIBELS scores
7
DemographicsSchool Centennial Maple Ridgeview
Enrollment 450-600 350-450 450-500
Title 1 Yes Yes No
% poverty 90% 76% 34%
% Latino 12% 6% 1.5%
% turnover 20% 26% 11%
% on IEPs 16% 17% 17%
8
Centennial Elementary, Gr. 3 OSA reading before & after early intervention
Average percent of students meeting/exceeding benchmark,
OSA Reading, Grade 3
79.6
91.5
50
60
70
80
90
100
1996-2000 2001-2004
Years
Average percentage
9
Demographics
School Centennial Maple Ridgeview
Enrollment 450-600 350-450 450-500
Title 1 Yes Yes No
% poverty 90% 76% 34%
% Latino 12% 6% 1.5%
% turnover 20% 26% 11%
% on IEPs 16% 17% 17%
10
Maple Elementary School% of Ss referred for special education, fall grade 2,
before & after 1st grade reading intervention
% of 2nd gr. Ss referred for special education
31
10
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
1994-95 1995-96
Years
% of students
11
Demographics
School Centennial Maple Ridgeview
Enrollment 450-600 350-450 450-500Title 1 Yes Yes No
% poverty 90% 76% 34%% Latino 12% 6% 1.5%
% turnover 20% 26% 11%% on IEPs 16% 17% 17%
12
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
PSF-K NWF-K PSF-1 NWF-1 ORF-1
Spring, '01 Spring, '02 Spring, '03 Spring, '04
% of Ss w/Benchmark Skills "Established"
Kindergarten 1st Gr.
13
Sample Accomplishments with Early Reading Interventions
Centennial: With up to 90% poverty, an average of 91.5% of 3rd grade Ss have met or exceeded OSA third grade reading benchmark four years in a row.
Maple: Resource program referrals in the fall of second grade fell by 69% following implementation of a first grade Reading Mastery intervention.
Ridgeview: Early in the intervention, more than 90% of K & 1st grade Ss met end-of-year benchmarks on selected measures on spring DIBELS assessments.
14
What does it take to achieve these changes?
People and a passion for this powerful purpose
Some resources and the control over several variables that can make a significant difference
Attention to the details—Are plans adequate? Are we really doing what we say we’re doing?
A curiosity about whether it’s working--and a commitment to change something if it’s not
15
What Instructional Programs were Used?
Centennial-Read Well for top three groups;
Reading Mastery for lowest two groups
Maple-Reading Mastery beginning in first grade for
all but the top reading group
Ridgeview-Read Well-1, Read Well-K (fall ‘03)
“Something more/something different” for at-risk Ss
All--extended instructional block (90’+)*
16
Programs/Strategies to improve beginning reading
Kindergarten Plus (extended day for add’l instruction)
Language for Learning (bilingual pre-reading, KG)
Double-dosing (additional daily small group instruction)
Read Naturally (to build reading fluency)
Peer coaching (to increase fluency & comprehension)
Reading Counts (to increase amount of reading)
17
Programs to improve beginning reading (cont.)
KG--SF Early Reading Intervention (Optimize)
1st gr.--Schools Plus (federal after school program grant)
Pre-referral intervention (Reading Mastery, fall 1st grade)
Bi-weekly progress monitoring (selected parents trained)
1/2-time reading specialist (Title IIa, Innovative Programs)
1/2-time reading tutor (from donations, fund-raising)*
18
How can principals make a difference?
Provide curriculum materials which are closely aligned with the five “big ideas” in beginning reading.
Arrange for aligned & sustained staff development for all staff involved in reading instruction or support.
Actively facilitate the implementation & supervise the details that make a difference in reading instruction.*
Use a responsive assessment system for monitoring, program adjustments & accountability (e.g. DIBELS).**
19
How can principals make a difference? (cont.)
Create a sustained, school-wide focus for beginning
reading, and give everyone a role in student success.*
Give reading top priority in scheduling, and allocate
sufficient time to reading instruction (90+ min./day).**
Keep programs on track by providing coaching &
supervision to avoid “program drift” away from what works.
Make available (& provide training for) a range of effective
intervention programs to assist struggling Ss.
20
How can principals make a difference? (cont.)
Make full use of available resources, especially time.
Cultivate available, but dormant, resources (parents, sr.
citizens, grants) to support Ss in learning to read.
Know the unique & idiosyncratic features of your school,
staff & community; work with &/or around them.*
Create a culture of success by announcing & celebrating
positive results within the school community (with
students, staff, parents).**
21
How can principals make a difference? (cont.)
Focus on the variables over which we, as educators,
have control; optimize their impact on student success.
Corollary: Don’t let staff get “stuck” on the variables
over which we have little or no control. (no excuses)
Support staff in working through “resistance issues”. (staff resistance to implementation; student resistance to instruction)*
Be aware of & help facilitate the “stages of change”.**
22
“Turning around a reading program:”
Research-based programs that work for all readers: Open Court & Reading Mastery
Assuring adequate time for reading
Making essential components non-negotiable
Working to promote continuous progress
Sternberg, Ruth (2004)
“Turning Around a Reading Program”
Principal, Sept.-Oct., p.22
23
Beyond these details, all that’s needed is to mind our P’s & Q’s (& R’s)
P--Passion A deep sense of caring that all kids learn to read well
Q--Quality The commitment to keep getting better and better
R--Resolve The commitment to do whatever it takes & to stay the course
(Leaving no stone unturned; no resource untapped)
24
“Our challenge, our hope…”
Teaching kids to read is work of supreme importance.
When principals advocate for reading results, ours becomes a profession with a powerful, positive purpose--one that can make a significant difference in the success of teachers & in the lives of students.
We have what it takes to succeed….. We have sufficient knowledge and tools for teaching reading.
We know enough about what works to get strong reading results.
We control enough of the variables that matter in learning to read.
It’s up to us to maximize those variables to assure student success.
25
Hallie: “Do you think I could learn to read?”
Ranse: “Can you learn how to read? Why, I, I can teach you! A smart girl like you? Of course you can learn how to read! Now you wanna try? Hallie, I’ll teach ya how. In no time you’ll be reading everything!”
Hallie: “It’s awful worrisome not knowin’ how (to read). I know the good book from preacher talk. But it’d be a sole comfort if I could read the words for myself…”
(from “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance”, 1962)
26
“Can our students learn how to read? Why, we can teach them! Smart kids like ours? Of course they can learn how to read! Together, we can teach them. Before we know it, they’ll be reading everything!”…..
27
28
Think about it: “…A whole new ball game”
What do you think is the most significant way in which education has changed in the past 10 years?
How do you think this has changed the role of the principal?
What do you think are the implications for the principal with respect to reading instruction?
29
Think about it…..What single criterion related to reading…
• Would you want your staff to strive for with their students?
• Would you want to advocate for or explain to parents?
• Would you choose (and would others accept) to gauge
your success as a principal, as a teacher or as a reading
support person--and the success of your school?
30
“What do you think?…..”
What elements have facilitated your success in
implementing Reading First in your school? Over which of these do you feel you have had the most control?
Which were fortuitous, but perhaps not totally under your control?
What roadblocks have you encountered as you have
worked to implement Reading First? What approaches helped resolve the roadblocks?
Which issues were most difficult to resolve?
Can you think of other approaches to try if faced with these issues again?
31
“What do you think?…..”
Who were the key players, by role, to the
success of your Reading First project? Was there a role from which most of the resistance came?
Do you have any other ideas for working with this role?
What element(s) of the project made the
most difference in getting reading results? What element(s) was (were) most problematic?
What other ideas do you have now for addressing this element?
32
“What do you think?…..”
Next year there will be other schools
beginning the Reading First process.
What advice would you now give to the
staff of those school to make their project
easier or more successful?
33
Contact information:
Dr. Stan Paine, Principal
Springfield School District
525 Mill Street
Springfield, OR 97477
(541) 744-6308